FICO 8, 9, 10 and 10T: which version lenders actually use

Most people talk about “my FICO Score” as if there were one. There isn’t. FICO keeps several generations of its model on the market at the same time, sells each one through all three bureaus, and lets every lender decide whether and when to upgrade. On any given day you have a FICO 8 at Experian, a different FICO 8 at Equifax, a FICO 9 at each bureau, mortgage versions, auto versions, bankcard versions, and more.

So the FICO Score in your banking app and the one on your mortgage pre-approval can disagree without either being wrong. Below is what each version changed, who uses it, and a way to find out which one you’re actually being judged on.

The versions still in use

Every base FICO version on this list uses the 300 to 850 scale. Only the industry-specific versions differ.

The table leaves out older versions some lenders may still run. FICO doesn’t publish a list of which lender uses which version, so read the “who uses it” column as typical. Some lenders will differ.

Why lenders don’t just switch to the newest one

FICO 10 and 10T are available, but as myFICO says, “each lender decides if and when to upgrade.” A new version produces different numbers for the same people, so a lender that switches has to revisit its approval cutoffs and pricing and update its systems. That work helps explain why a version FICO built years ago is still the one most lenders pull.

Mortgage lending is even stickier, because lenders selling loans to Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac can only use models those two companies accept. For years that meant Classic FICO only. As of September 2026, lenders can choose Classic FICO or VantageScore 4.0, and FHFA lists FICO 10T as approved but “not currently eligible for delivery.” As a result, mortgage lenders use older FICO Scores than your credit card company does. The full picture is in the credit scores mortgage lenders actually pull.

FICO 8 vs. FICO 9: the change that matters most

For many people rebuilding credit, the gap between these two versions comes down to collections.

Paid collections. Under FICO 9, according to myFICO, “any third-party collections (including medical) that have been paid off no longer have a negative impact.” FICO 8 doesn’t make that exception. A collection you paid off still counts on FICO 8 until it ages off your report.

Medical collections. FICO 9 gives unpaid medical collections less negative weight than other unpaid collections.

Rent. If a landlord or rent-reporting service sends your payment history to a bureau, FICO 9 factors it in.

If none of those apply to you, your FICO 8 and FICO 9 may land close together. If you have a paid non-medical collection, they may not. FICO publishes no point values for any of this, so the size of the gap is something you can only see by pulling both.

What trended data in FICO 10T changes

Older FICO versions read one snapshot of each account: the balance and limit most recently reported. FICO 10T, per FICO’s 2020 announcement, looks at “account balances for the previous 24+ months.” Two people with identical balances today show why that matters.

Say two people each carry a $4,000 balance on cards with $10,000 in total limits. That’s $4,000 ÷ $10,000 = 40% utilization for both.

FICO 8 sees two identical snapshots at 40%. A trended model can see that Person A has cut balances by more than half while Person B’s have quadrupled ($4,000 ÷ $1,000 = 4). FICO doesn’t publish how much the direction is worth, but the model’s whole premise is that the two aren’t the same risk. Our page on trended data covers what this means for paying down cards before an application.

FICO also says 10T can incorporate rental data. In a July 2026 release, it reported that more than 70 mortgage lenders had signed up for its 10T free access program, which delivers 10T alongside the Classic FICO Score they already use. Those lenders are looking at 10T. They aren’t selling loans to Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac on it.

Little rules that differ by version

Rate shopping is the version difference most people actually run into. myFICO says older FICO versions treat mortgage, auto and student loan inquiries within any 14-day span as one inquiry, while the newest versions use a 45-day span. Since mortgage lenders use the older Classic FICO versions, the safer plan for a mortgage is to keep your shopping inside 14 days. More on that in rate shopping without wrecking your score.

How to find out which version you’ll face

Five checks, done in order before a major application, tell you which version to watch.

1. Ask the lender. “Which credit score model and version do you use, and from which bureau?” is a normal question. Some lenders answer it directly.
2. Match the loan type to the typical version. Mortgage: FICO 2, 4 and 5, or VantageScore 4.0. Auto: FICO Auto Score. Credit card: FICO Bankcard, 8 or 9. Personal loan: usually FICO 8.
3. Check what your free score really is. The fine print usually names the model. If it says VantageScore or FICO 8 and you’re applying for a mortgage, it’s a different measurement from what the lender will see. Why your free app score doesn’t match your lender’s walks through this.
4. Look at the version that matches, if it matters enough. myFICO’s paid products include the mortgage, auto and bankcard versions. For a mortgage or a big auto loan, seeing the same version the lender uses can be worth more than months of watching a free score.
5. Fix the report, not the version. Every version reads the same credit report. Errors you dispute and balances you pay down flow into all of them.